The Indomitable Billabong Pro Tahiti 2017 Thread!

stunet's picture
stunet started the topic in Wednesday, 26 Jul 2017 at 11:38am

OK, we're in the waiting period before the waiting period of the Billabong Pro Teahupoo - official start August 11th. Which means the loooong range charts will soon shape up. However, of greater interest right now is that Tahiti is going through an extended lull with first a high pressure blocking the swell window, and then a series of inconsequential lows.

With my limited forecasting knowledge I'm calling this a GOOD THING, as the longer the run of small surf, the greater the chance of big surf when the comp begins.

16 day f/cast for Chopes:

I could also point to the position of the Long Wave Trough if I knew where to find those graphs. Craig..?

As a benchmark for swell size and match ups, let's revisit KS vs JJF in their tied semi final from 2014, which Kelly won on count back.

 

 

 

 

donweather's picture
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donweather Wednesday, 26 Jul 2017 at 12:20pm

I'm hoping Craig can shed some guidance into the LWT/SAM from the Indian Ocean pushing across under the Maritime Continent and stalling under NZ in the long term ?

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fitzroy-21 Wednesday, 26 Jul 2017 at 12:24pm

I'm hoping the waves are as good again as the JJF & KS vid Stu posted above!!

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Wednesday, 26 Jul 2017 at 2:03pm

Woah, early starts for this one gents.

4 hours earlier than East coast time.

Going off a 7:30 am Tahiti start that's 3:30 am here.

Way too early to start drinking.

And almost too late to carry on.

Almost.

Going to be a big week.

GO SEABASS you 3 thumbed tube pig !!!

stunet's picture
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stunet Wednesday, 26 Jul 2017 at 2:50pm

Six years ago I set my alarm for 3:30am, took the doona into the study, chucked it over my head as I opened my lap top and watched this...

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simba Wednesday, 26 Jul 2017 at 3:10pm

Boy i had forgotten how heavy that was ......hows the guy around the 1 min mark almost cops the board up his date ,3 min mark the guys not moving maybe even going backwards and then at the 7 min mark how the bloke gets rolled upside down..hahahha...no wonder you had the doona over your head Stu,scary stuff great slow mo,could see how angry the ocean was.

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 3 Aug 2017 at 9:40am

Latest forecast has a weird mid-latitude southerly swell hitting Chopes 2-3 days before the waiting period. Strange swell and strange winds (strong SSE) for the pros to warm up in. Then it goes small but there's a ray of light at the far end of the model run.

Craig will have a forecast shortly.

stunet's picture
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stunet Thursday, 3 Aug 2017 at 9:41am

Joel Parkinson, 16 years, one final, no trophies...

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crg Thursday, 3 Aug 2017 at 1:27pm

He's due some luck I reckon Parko...
Gee I hope they get waves.

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Craig Thursday, 3 Aug 2017 at 2:00pm
batfink's picture
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batfink Thursday, 3 Aug 2017 at 5:55pm

Stu, that is unbelievable. Even though I remember it and watched lots of it, that was freaking amazing. If you only ever use slow-mo once in your life, that is the wave and the time to do it.

The first or second one had me thinking about that scene from Inception, where Ellen Page is bending the buildings up. Take a look again with that in mind. It's like the water isn't moving at all, just the entire Pacific Ocean bending up over it. Mind-bending.

And a new world record for Captcha - 3 times cars, 6 times street signs and 4 more cars, woohoo!

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 6:26am

And.. they're running. Looks bloody terrible - Josh Kerr just went right and boosted an air. WSL press release calling 3-5ft but they've obviously reverted to face height. 

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thermalben Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 6:31am

Actually, Italo just got a solid one. That was 4ft, maybe 4-5ft (couple of feet overhead). 

Jeez, the commentators have got their work cut out for them today, trying to describe the surf conditions without sounding too negative!

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 6:38am

"Challenging " conditions is the term .

AKA Dogshit

It's one of those events that is crueled by its own ad breaks showing pumping waves then when it returns to live action and the reality is heartbreaking.

Joan Duru for this heat .

stunet's picture
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stunet Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 7:05am

...and this is supposed to be one of the better days.

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 8:08am

Wow, that was a nailbiter.

I'm out.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 4:44pm

Freeride has put his head down and showcased after the writers tiff on the other thread . You know where to find Longtom's offering.

Nice work, Freeride.

Just watching the replay of the day now. I thought the surf out Chopes was garbage when I had a quick glimpse this morning , but after the surf I rode today it doesn't look so bad anymore.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Saturday, 12 Aug 2017 at 5:26pm

Replays and highlights are always better on these kids of days though.. you don't have to sit through the inbetweeners and flat spells.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 7:37am

Looking much better this morning. 

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 10:33am

You gotta feel for Ethan Ewing. He's a way better surfer than his results portray.

Bad luck to Bede not being able to find a second score.

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 10:49am

Good to see a few meaty sets albeit infrequently.

JJF and Nat, good heat finally.

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Herc Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 6:21pm

If freeride is there, it would be interesting to speak with South Oz surfing and shaping legend Dave Kelly. He craftily disappeared permanently to Tahiti, maybe 35 years or so ago. Married a beautiful French girl, and set up over there. DK ripped, charged, and must have some epic stories. I saw him a couple of times when he came back to visit, and he didn't let on much. All he said was the surf was heavy, sharp reefs. He helped the local kids, made Vetea David's boards etc.

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Blowin Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 7:48pm

I'd like Ace or Flores for the win.

Flores looks like he'll fall off tour otherwise .

And I'd rather a surfer of Flores calibre on the CT when the tour stops at the big barrel locations than another beachie acrobat .

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 8:09pm

Spewing.

Just remembered I'm watching a replay.

See you later Flores.

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 8:21pm

How's that feeling of weightlessness when you fly off the back after getting spat out of a barrel ?

Unreal.

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Blowin Sunday, 13 Aug 2017 at 9:54pm

Seabass vs Andino .

Seabass robbed.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 6:55am
Apparently the surf is 7ft+ today
lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 7:35am

Have the judges learnt nothing about throwing 10s?
Medina came out under the lip while the wave kept barreling and got caught up in a turn.
Amazing to make the section but a 10 for first wave of the heat? Dumb.

And I would love some 7ft barrels right now.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 8:29am

Gotta say, this event has comparitavely slipped under the radar. Most likely due to the poor forecast, but with the first two days running over the weekend, I've hardy watched any of it. And the Semi Finals will start in less than an hour. The whole comp will be done and dusted by lunchtime!

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 9:45am

Kolohe squandering proirity on that mushburger.

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zenagain Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 10:02am

Just when i was warming to Medina I reset and have gone back to thinking he's a total wanker.

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 10:04am

How come? I didn't think he did too much wrong in that heat.

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 10:11am

Ok, not total wanker but blocking Kolohe on that wave even though it wouldn't have got the score (shitty wave) takes away from what I want to see and that's surfing on merit, not tactics.

If he's gonna do that he should have gone.

stunet's picture
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stunet Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 10:30am

I agree Zen. The drone footage showed him blocking Kolohe.

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stunet Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 11:05am

Jeez, Medina may be a bastard, but he's a talented and determined bastard.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 11:06am

It's somewhat galling to watch Gabs carry on like this, but just quietly, I reckon it's making for much more entertaining viewing. 

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 11:26am

Wow, Julian on the comeback. Go, mate!

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 11:29am

Faaaaark!

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 11:34am

Best final in a while. Good on ya Julian, it takes a really focused mind to come back from being heavily comboed with five minutess on the clock. Well deserved!

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 1:23pm

jeez, i missed it all.

good waves here so i went for a surf before the final.

gonna have to watch the recap.

talkingturkey's picture
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talkingturkey Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 5:39pm
frog's picture
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frog Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 5:39pm

Good to see Julian win. His tally should be 4 as he easily won the Margaret River final 2 years ago.

frog's picture
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frog Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 5:42pm

Some amazing tube riding in this competition in that so many difficult, sectioning, clamping and technical tubes were made. Many were so much harder than the super clean days.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 6:52pm

Nice article FR. Think you have a typo though. " Yellow jersey for California."?

freeride76's picture
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freeride76 Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 7:04pm

For Jordy. He now wears the yellow jersey for Trestles. In California.

lostdoggy's picture
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lostdoggy Monday, 14 Aug 2017 at 7:14pm

Got it. Still reads funny to me though.
But I did really enjoy the article.